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The Wills Group Appoints Joseph M. Wills President of SMO Energy

The Wills Group, a family-owned company headquartered in La Plata, Md., announced the appointment, effective July 1, of Joseph M. (Joe) Wills as president of SMO Energy, a provider of propane, fuel oil and home comfort solutions in southern Maryland.

Wills was vice president at SMO Energy for the past year, where he worked with the company to build on its customer and employee engagement and safety efforts, and expand SMO Energy’s service and installation revenue. Prior to joining SMO Energy, Wills worked in the retail marketing division of The Wills Group, working across the Dash In Food Stores, Potomac Energy Holdings and SMO Fuels companies where he was responsible for more than 450 million gallons of fuel products at more than 280 retail outlets in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. Wills worked with the retail marketing team to grow fuel volumes by 10% in two years.

“Joe’s appointment represents the beginning of the fourth generation of Wills family leadership across The Wills Group,” said Lock Wills, president and CEO of The Wills Group. “His leadership at SMO Energy has resulted in the company exceeding performance goals during the past year. With our focus on working to improve alignment across The Wills Group family of companies, Joe’s knowledge of each respective company that is part of The Wills Group will also help to ensure this effort remains on track.”

In announcing Joe Wills’ appointment, The Wills Group also announced the retirement of John D. Combs, who is stepping down as president after a 41-year tenure with The Wills Group. Combs’ retirement was celebrated on July 6, with the event also serving as a celebration of the growth and change at SMO Energy under Combs’ leadership.

“I am honored to follow in John’s footsteps, and share his commitment to working to ensure that SMO Energy continues to be recognized as a company that is number one when it comes to taking care of our customers,” said Joe Wills, president of SMO Energy. “I am also excited to work across The Wills Group to further serve our customers through our community engagement program that was renewed and expanded last year as part of The Wills Group’s 90th anniversary celebration. I welcome the opportunity to work with The Wills Group to keep families’ lives in motion across Southern Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic region.”

Since 1980, SMO Energy has provided free equipment, home equipment repairs and fuel service to eligible customers through its program, SMO CARES. During the past year, the company has assisted more than 650 families across Southern Maryland. SMO Energy will build on this program in partnership with The Wills Group and its companies, which include Dash In Food Stores, to support The Wills Group’s commitment to community engagement in the communities it serves. The Wills Group community engagement program is focused on ending childhood hunger and supporting safe and healthy homes. This past year, The Wills Group has donated more than $450,000 to charitable organizations across the Mid-Atlantic region that support these causes.

The Wills Group’s operating area includes Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. In addition to being the parent company of SMO Energy, The Wills Group operates Dash In Food Stores, Splash In ECO Car Wash, SMO Motor Fuels, and operates Potomac Energy Holdings (PEH) as part of a joint venture with Motiva Enterprises LLC.